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The chicks are ordered, the temporary housing is set up in the basement, the coop plans are being finalized and space being cleared in the garage for its construction.

My girl is giddy with excitement and I, well, I am taking lots of deep, calming breaths and throwing in a few extra tea breaks on the back porch. Following my kids interest forces me to stretch a little every day.

One of my favorite people to make stuff for is my sister-in-law. I think it's because she really seems to like getting the home made stuff, and doesn't seem to mind the small imperfections that happen when I try something new.

I started these towels for her a few years ago. It was new to me, sewing thicker fabrics to thin and slippery ones then, attaching the small strip of finicky fabric to an already finished piece.

I hit a road block and quit in frustration.

I stumbled onto the project while cleaning out and organizing my fabric stash after the holidays this year, and remembered the frustration these towels had caused. I set them aside and thought maybe, if there's time, I'll try finishing them for her birthday. I knew I wouldn't though.

Well, it kind of gnawed at me after that.

I pulled them out a few times, I inspected my work and, it was actually pretty good. I knew my skills were better now and it really didn't look so daunting anymore.

So, just before we were ready to head out the door for the birthday dinner, I decided to try and finish the set. I love when I leave a project that feels so difficult when I start and then, I'm able to come back and finish it with ease, to actually
see and feel that i have grown and learned in the time that it was put
away. I never would have thought, when I threw down this project so long ago, that it would be one of those gifts I finish as we're rushing out the door.

We took out a seat, loaded the van, bungied the boards and squished in.

It took a couple hours heading north but eventually. . .we found snow!

There were lots of giggles, plenty of sunshine, delicious food and drinks, puzzles, sledding, a little shopping, lots and lots of snowboarding (for all of us, yay!),

and a nice little snowstorm giving us some delicious powder for our last day on the slopes leading to. . .a bit of tree climbing? (oops!)

No worries, she immediately popped up, hands in the air exclaiming, "I'm alright! That. Was. Awesome!" I realize one ending up in the tree is probably not the best way to illustrate it, but these girls of mine, and my sis, are becoming amazing little boarders and, with only this one trip, this one week each year, that's really saying something.

The boy loves his board too, of course, and is doing great as well. He likes trying to hop as he's speeding downhill. Oh how he wishes he was ready for those monster jumps his uncle likes to fly over. Not yet little man.

I realize there are some people who think kids shouldn't start off snowboarding but, if your littlest ones want to snowboard, there's really no reason for them to ski first.
My four year old was able to stop herself and was running up and down
the bunny hill unassisted by the end of our trip.

We all snowboard and, of the 6 of us, my husband is the only one who was ever a skier before learning to board.

This post is a few weeks late, I'm having trouble getting photos
onto the computer right now. Issues with USB ports I believe. As I hit publish on this the frogs are making a ruckus in the pond and I woke this morning to the quacking of ducks. At least we were able to find a little winter before it arrived but, it's official, Spring is here!

I'm not sure where it came from, but there is a quiet business around here today.

The two who rarely find themselves working or playing alone together are pleasantly intense on a joint project, leaving tools, scraps and messes in their wake for the rest of us to discover and puzzle over, like clues to some great mystery.

The middle girl is off reading and dreaming of the chickens she plans to own one day soon, very soon. Did I really agree to welcome 2 no 3 maybe 4 egg bearing dinosaur descendents into my home? Oy.

And the littlest one is singing sweetly while she plays with her dolls and kitchen. Right now, she is "the princess of the world" and that, apparently, requires a wardrobe change. At least it's laundry day so there's already clothing strewn about all over the place, what's a few more outfits for the sake of make believe.

I think I need to find something to keep myself busy and out of their way today. I'm going try really hard to let go of my plans and expectations of what they should be doing, just let them be and enjoy the unexpected time for myself.